Lunacy
by kdcullen
Summary: She was so desperate to escape the darkness, and it was a way out. She didn't know that she was stepping into a permanent shadow of a different, more dangerous shade of black. AU.
1. 01 Uncle Aro's Freaks

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, nor do I own any of the characters**_.

**This is my first rated M story. It's mostly for language and content, because I'm paranoid. I'm NOT promising lemons, but I won't say for sure that there won't be any. I'm a lemon virgin, so it'll take me a lot of determination and encouragement if I do decide to write one- but that's only if the opportunity presents itself in the storyline. I won't write them for no reason, so keep that in mind. This is also NOT based off of the _Cirque De Freak_ series. I've never read them, nor have I heard of them until somebody suggested that I was writing based off of it. Any similarities between the two is pure coincidence. **

**Without further ado, I give you _Lunacy_!**

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I'd be bluffing if I said I wasn't slightly frightened at the moment.

The long, curvy road was pitch black, and I knew that beyond the cab of my truck, I was surrounded by fields of nothingness. It was the picture perfect scene for one of those horrific slaughter movies, where I would be stalked, captured and tortured into my death. I shivered at the thought.

My fingers clenched tighter around the steering wheel, and I moved my left hand to swivel the volume knob of the stereo. I cringed when I was met with loud static, and the deep voice of a country singer was occasionally fading in and out through the noise. Sighing, I punched the knob to turn it off, and let the silence take over.

I guess this was my fault. I could be on a plane right now, where my only worries would include what kind of music I wanted to listen to during the flight. The trek from Arizona to Washington was a long one, and I was a fool for refusing my Mother's desperate attempts to book me a plane ticket instead of the long, grueling road trip that I was now enduring.

I had been in Arizona for a little over a month, spending part of my summer with my mother, Renee and my step-father, Phil. Though I had spent a rather large portion of my life there, I was happy to be going back to Washington, where my father and I resided in the tiny town of Forks. I had been there for about three years, and apparently the cold, wet atmosphere grew on me.

I leaned forward, straining to see the road signs through the dim illumination of my headlights. I could vaguely see the name of the street, and felt relief when I realized that I was indeed heading in the right direction.

I pressed my foot down on the pedal to accelerate the speed, but gasped when a loud bang erupted from under the hood. The truck wheezed discouragingly before coming to an abrupt halt, and despite the seatbelt that I had strapped safely across my body, the movement caused my head to collide roughly with the steering wheel.

"Damnit!" I shouted angrily, pressing my palm to my head, rubbing soothing circles across my skin. I could already feel the painful lump forming, and I cringed when I imagined the obnoxious bright purple bruise that I'd be sporting pretty soon. I sighed, and unbuckled my seatbelt, before yanking the keys from the ignition.

I sat in silence for a few moments. There was smoke seeping from under the hood, and the faint thought of the truck exploding entered my head, but I couldn't find the strength to leave the safety of my cab. It was just so dark and isolated outside. There would be no witnesses.

"Stop being ridiculous, Bella," I murmured to myself. I breathed in a sharp breath, before pushing open the door to my truck and stepping out. I was met with the chilly breeze of the night air, and I shivered, cursing that my only jacket was packed tightly under a slew of suitcases in the bed.

I opened the hood of my truck, and coughed when I inhaled the fumes of smoke. I threw my hand back and fourth in front of my face, trying to clear some of the fog away so I could see. But as I peered at the engine, I felt defeated. I didn't know the first thing about motors or cars or _anything_. I was screwed.

I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, and flipped it open. My heart dropped to my stomach when I read the dreadful two little words that grinned brightly up at me.

_No signal_.

The angry, frustrated tears immediately began to build under my eyelids. What could I do? It'd be unsafe for me to just start walking, when I didn't know the area. I hadn't the slightest clue where the nearest house or business was located, and I'd most likely end up walking for _miles_ before I finally came across a payphone. But on the other hand, I couldn't just stay in my truck and wait. For two hours, I had been the only vehicle on this road. It was clearly an isolated area. I'd probably be stuck waiting for _days_ to flag someone down, and I wasn't sure they'd even stop to help me.

I sighed heavily, and ignored my pounding heartbeat as I walked back to the bed of the truck. I pulled one of my bags out, and searched for the clothing until I felt the thick material of my black hoodie between my fingers. I yanked it out, closed the tailgate and locked it, before shrugging the jacket on. Relief came instantly, and I immediately basked in its warmth.

I pulled the hood up over my head to block my ears from the bitter cold. My hands were shoved deeply in the middle pocket of the jacket, and I dipped my nose into the collar, bundling up to the best of my ability. My legs were shaky with the paranoia as I began to walk.

I was alert. Every noise, every cricket, every gust of wind - I jumped. I had never been so aware of my surroundings before, but since I wasn't so willing as to be chopped into pieces and have my guts go through a blender, I continued to walk.

I had been walking for maybe a half an hour, and my legs were becoming numb from the cold air through my flimsy jeans. I was beginning to lose all hope. There had been nothing but fields full of dead grass for miles. But as I approached a lonely dirt road, I could make out bright lights in the vast distance. I gasped loudly, and elicited a giddy squeal of relief and excitement. My legs picked up speed, and I fingered the dollar bills in my pocket, hoping and praying that the lights belonged to a gas station where I could make change for the payphone.

As I walked closer, the lights grew brighter, and I was picking up on faint, eerie music. I couldn't tell you _what_ kind of music, but with every footstep, it sounded like a carnival or something. I really didn't care. As long as I found a phone, and got off of this terrifying road, I'd be happy.

When I finally reached my destination, I gasped. It definitely wasn't a gas station, that was for sure. The brightly colored lit sign was mesmerizing me, and I had to blink to take in all of the bolded words.

_Uncle Aro's Freaks._

A graffiti painted picture of an animated demon with large teeth sat at the bottom, it's long finger nailed claws pointing to another painted characture of a skinny, older man with dark hair. The man was grinning widely in his tuxedo and top hat, and I suddenly realized what this was.

I was at a freaking _freak show_.

To be honest, I didn't know that these things really existed. I only ever heard of them through movies and television. I had thought of them to be completely fictional, but as I gaped at the sign, I stood here corrected.

I let my eyes travel downwards, to where smaller bold print was located.

_$10 entry fee. No refunds on tickets. We are not responsible for lost items, or lost children. Enjoy!_

Well, that's nice to know.

I gulped as I looked around at my surroundings. Further down the road, I saw more darkness. The thought of actually going inside wasn't very appealing, but maybe they owned some kind of phone that I could use.

I shoved my fingers into my pockets, and counted the money that was stashed inside. I had two five dollar bills, and four single dollars. I sighed, gazing longingly at the money in my hands. Ten dollars to look at dressed up actors was ridiculous, but I certainly wasn't going to be taking my chances with the darkness again. I kept the two fives in my hand, and shoved the rest back into my pocket, before stepping around to the ticket booth.

A plump woman with vibrant red hair and purple thick rimmed glasses sat inside of the plexiglass covered booth, smacking her bubble gum loudly against the roof of her mouth. She didn't seem to acknowledge my presence, so I discreetly coughed. She looked up, eyeing me for a moment before leaning down into the microphone.

"That'll be ten even, baby cakes."

I stared at her for a minute, digesting her unusually high pitched voice, but quickly recovered. I shoved the two bills under the small opening, and she quickly took them.

"I need to stamp your hand," she announced, grinning brightly as she pulled out a large wooden object. I nodded quickly, obliging as I slid my hand under the opening. I almost snatched my hand back, in fear of having my fingers chopped off, but I was relieved when I felt the pressure of the soft stamp against the top of my hand. When she was finished, I withdrew my hand and brought it under the light, examining it.

An exact replica of the demon on the poster was now outlined in dark black ink on my flesh.

"So, what's a pretty little girl like you doing at a place like this? It ain't the safest place for someone like you to be, darling," she announced with a hint of warning in her voice. I slipped my hand into my pocket, and looked up at her, avoiding eye contact.

"My truck broke down some miles back. I've been walking for about forty-five minutes now. Is there any chance you own a phone with a landline?" I asked hopefully. The woman examined me thoroughly, and I was beginning to feel extremely uncomfortable. After a few seconds, she laughed loudly.

"I don't know, sweet pea. You're gonna have to speak to Uncle Aro. He runs this joint. I'm sure you'll run into him somewhere back there," she answered, jutting her thumb backwards. I nodded, mumbling a soft thanks, before moving to enter through the velvet purple curtain. I was almost all the way through, when her voice brought me backwards.

"Little lady?"

I stopped, but didn't turn around. "Yes?"

"Be careful in there. I'd hate to see anything happen to such a precious young child."

I could feel the goose bumps rise on my arms. I didn't answer her. My heart was pounding and my body was trembling as I entered the tent. The carnival music became increasingly louder, and I turned to see that I was standing next to a large amp which was broadcasting it. I stepped forward, and looked around.

The large area was filled with several dark tents, all with big signs displaying the "_creature_" inside. Several people hung around, chatting aimlessly and gossiping animatedly about what they had just seen.

I moved forward cautiously, gazing at some of the artwork that was hung on strings that held bright white holiday lights. Most of them were paintings of monsters with large stained fangs and claws and bright red eyes- that seemed to be the trend. I stopped walking when I reached the last one. It was another characture style drawing of a young boy. The color was messily scribbled a dark golden color in the pile of hair on top his head. Instead of coloring the skin, they left it white, making the boy seem pale. Whoever drew it had amazing precision with facial details, and I found myself astonished with the way an animated picture could hold so much talent and beauty.

I froze when I reached his eyes. Instead of a bright blue, or brown or even green - they were red. Piercing, bright red. I held back the roll of my eyes as I cast my gaze downwards to his mouth, where his lip was curled into a cartoon-like snarl. I sighed.

_Just another monster_.

The chatter of the small group of people was fading, and I turned to see them disappear into one of the tents. Not wanting to be alone out here, I quickly followed, slipping in quietly so they wouldn't notice me behind them.

From behind their heads, I could make out a large cage with long brass bars. I heard a soft, feminine growl, followed by muffled laughter of the group in front of me. I stepped to the side, standing on my tip-toes to see.

A skinny woman with platinum blonde hair was on all fours, snarling and hissing at the people gawking at her. I could see a tail attached to her rear end, and I couldn't help the snicker that erupted quietly from my mouth. It was limp, hanging down like it was part of a costume.

And it most definitely was.

When I saw the rest of the woman, I had smack my hand over my mouth to stop my guffaws. She wore obscene, furry cat ears, that were no doubt attached to a headband. Her face was either painted, or tattooed, but all of the subtle feline features were in tact. Her contacts were colored a dark shade of gold, but they were diluting, and I could make out the muddy brown that was hidden underneath them. Her fingernails were sculpted into sharp looking claws, and as the group of people in front of me continued to laugh, she raised her hand .. excuse me, _paw_, and swatted menacingly at them.

This was insanely stupid. _Cat woman_? Really, this is why freak shows should remain fictional. Real mutants and monsters don't exist, so we're subjected to clueless young women who make money by pretending to be domestic house pets.

What a joke.

Shaking my head, I exited the tent. Another large group of people were loitering around the area now. They all looked to be around fifteen or sixteen, and they were sporting black gowns and heavy black make-up.

I rolled my eyes. This was probably their haven.

I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket. Flipping it open, I hoped that my luck would've changed. After what I had just endured, I found it only to be fair. I groaned loudly when I saw _No Signal _still plastered across my wallpaper picture of Renee and I at Christmas last year.

"Come on!" I wailed at my cell phone, shaking it in anger as if the rumble would suddenly give me a signal. I heard quiet laughter, and glanced over to the group of goth girls. They were staring at me, glaring amusedly as they snickered at my antics. I huffed loudly, which only increased their laughter, and snapped my phone shut.

I was stranded in the middle of nowhere. I didn't even know which state I was in. My truck had finally died, I had no signal on my cell, and I had wasted my last ten dollars to find a phone that most likely didn't exist.

I just wanted to cry at my horrid luck.

I felt a finger tap at my shoulder, and I whirled around, prepared to be bold and give those girls a piece of my mind, but stopped when I saw who the poker was.

A muscular man, wearing a tuxedo with a matching top-hat and a crimson red bowtie stood before me. His greasy dark hair was sticking out from under his hat, matting to his forehead. His eyes were a dark brown, almost black. His skin was pale white, matching the alabaster colored gloves he wore on his hands. He was grinning at me, his eyes crinkling the surrounding skin into crow's feet.

I knew who he was with just one look. He matched perfectly with the cartoon picture on the sign. This was _Uncle Aro_.

"Uh, hi," I mumbled unintelligently. His grin grew, and I took a few steps back, for he was too close for comfort at the moment.

"Why hello there. I'm Aro, I'm the head honcho around here. I was standing over there, and saw you speaking angrily at your phone," he noted, smirking. I felt the heat rush to my cheeks, and I lowered my head in embarrassment. He laughed quietly. "Is there anything I can help you with? You seemed to be quite distressed."

I sighed with relief. The freak show may be a joke, but at least he seems nice.

"My truck died some miles back. I walked pretty far to get here, and I haven't received signal for quite some time now. You wouldn't happen to have a landline, would you?"

He pressed his long finger to his cheek, and his eyes cast upwards in a thinking manner. He hummed for a second.

"I can't make any promises, but I think the house that's hosting us may have one. Allow me a few minutes to go check, will you?"

"Sure, of course! Thank you so much!" I gushed, excited that maybe I'd have a way to contact Charlie. If he knew that I was alone out here, parading around a freak show, he'd contact the police of whatever city I was in to come pick me up. I was feeling relieved just thinking about it.

I returned to gazing at the monstrous artwork that hung around the tents, when a quiet crash erupted and startled me, making me jump. I turned around to face the source, and saw a smaller tent with bright yellow tape wrapped around it. Obviously, whatever was in this tent, wasn't meant to be seen. I scoffed.

I walked closer, and heard low grunts followed by loud slurping noises. I looked around, making sure nobody was watching, before I lifted the yellow tape and stepped inside. I wasn't one for breaking rules. In fact, I actually feared getting in trouble in most situations, but something about this tent was just drawing me in. I couldn't help it.

There was a sign next to the entrance, but I had to brush away a blanket to read it.

_Amor Sanguinis_.

Okay, I had no idea what _that_ meant. I stared at the sign, trying to remember all of my previous language courses in hopes that it'd spark a memory, when another large slurping noise interrupted my concentration.

I dropped the blanket, and ducked to enter the tent. One small light was on, illuminating the large cage, which was similar to Cat Woman's. This one was different, though. It was chained up multiple times, with about four or five different locks. Three of the locks were carelessly opened, leaving a few chains hanging limp to the ground.

I followed the light in the cage, but nothing sat under it. I heard the slurping noise again, and whipped my head in the direction. It came from a dark corner of the cage, and despite the warning bells going off in my head, I crept slowly forward, trying my best to be silent. I could make out of the shadow of a person. From the shape of their body, I could see it was a male, but I couldn't see his face.

This felt different from Cat Woman. Unlike her colorful festive decorated display, this tent was dark and empty with the exception of the cage. An eerie sense of danger filled the tent, and I was suddenly aware that maybe this tent was closed off for a reason. But then again, what kind of real dangers could _this_ place ever hold?

My feet kept moving cautiously, and I tilted my head to shed some light on the hunched figure. I saw his neck drop, staying still as the slurping noises increased, and I knew he was eating something. The sounds suddenly made sense.

I gulped, and opened my mouth to take a deep breath, but froze when a tickle pricked in my throat, causing me to involuntarily gurgle. My body became creepily numb when I saw his head raise up quickly, and he grunted lowly, before his silhouette jumped towards the spotlight. I gasped loudly, staggering back when he came into view.

His skin was white, like snow. His hair was a greasy bronze mess on the top of his head, tousling up in every direction. He was shirtless, showing off his flat stomach, but toned arms. His ribs were faintly visible through his alabaster flesh. He wore a pair of distressed jeans, but they were ripped and tattered. What caught me off guard were his eyes. They were black. Not a dark brown like Aro's, but a straight onyx color.

My bottom lip trembled as I stared at him. He returned my gaze, his eyes never moving from mine. He tilted his head, and I was so confused. He was so beautiful. He was so inhumanely perfect, but I doubt Aro kept him in here for abnormally good looks.

That's when I saw the red liquid that dripped down his chin.

My entire body was shaking with tremors as I turned my head to gaze at the corner. A lifeless, pale hand dangled from the cage. My heart stopped, and I glanced back up at the onyx eyed beauty in front of me.

I had walked myself right into this nightmare. He was _eating_ a human.

But this had to be a joke. Aro had this tent restricted because he knew curious, nosy teenagers like myself couldn't resist. He knew that people would come in here, so he placed some kind of fake cannibal in the cage. I bet the blood that stained his lips was actually dyed syrup. It had to be. He couldn't be a _real_ cannibal.

This wasn't a _real_ freak show.

I had to admit, it was creepy. Fake or not, _this_ was the kind of stuff that belonged at a freak show, rather than the skimpy dressed woman who was purring at visitors a few tents over. The more I stood here, and the more we stared at each other, I felt a bigger intense need to leave. So I did.

I gulped, waved a quick goodbye, and whipped around to leave. My hood dropped off of my head, and my hair flew out of its hiding place, flowing down my back. A gust of wind entered the tent, and I shivered as I gripped the velvet tent to leave.

That's when I heard the vicious snarl, followed by the clanking of chains against metal. And before I even had time to turn around, somebody slammed against me, knocking me down pinning me to the ground.

He gripped my neck and squeezed. I gasped for air, clawing at his arms and choking out words for him to stop. If it were possible, his eyes were darkening even more than they had before. He loosened his grip for a moment, and I closed my eyes, praying to whatever higher being that was up there to let me live. He sniffed the air, before grinning evilly at me.

My heart pounded furiously against my ribcage as his hand descended on my stomach, and he lifted up my jacket.

_He's going to rape me._

I began to kick my legs, hoping the movement would startle him, but he stayed straddling my waist. One hand was clamped over my mouth, and despite how many times I bit hard into his flesh, he didn't falter. His other hand was shoving up the clothing on my stomach, and I felt the tears blur my vision as his icy cold hand came into contact with my skin.

I began sobbing into his hand, hoping he'd feel at least some remorse and let me go, but I winced and yelped in shock when his icy cold hand touched a sore spot on my stomach. He swiped his finger across a sensitive area, and raised it to his face. His finger was coated in thick, dripping redness, and I gasped. His attack must've been brutal enough to draw blood.

"Please," I sobbed, pushing against his strong hold. He ignored me, and continued to stare at his finger which was covered in blood. _My blood_.

I opened my mouth to continue my pleading, but everything inside of me trembled in sheer horror when he popped his finger into his mouth and sucked. I watched as his tongue swirled around it for a few seconds, before he retracted it. He grinned at me again.

"Yummy," he spat venomously. It was the first time I had heard him speak, but I couldn't be too concerned with that, because he had just willingly tasted my blood.

Oh. _Oh_, no.

He really _was_ a cannibal.

And I really _was_ going to become the gruesome dinner that I had been imagining all night. And the entire thing was my fault. The tears began to fall faster with the realization that I was about to die. He must've gotten fed up with my tears though, for the hand that was covering my mouth moved. I was going to take this as my opportunity to scream, but before I could even open my mouth, his fingers lifted my neck, before forcefully shoving it back down. My head slammed hard against the concrete.

I quickly became dizzy and disoriented. His beautiful yet monstrous face was wild and crazed as he snarled down at me, and it was almost as if he was trying to restrain himself from actually killing me. As the seconds ticked by, my vision blurred increasingly. I moaned lowly as I glanced up into his murderous black orbs.

_Goodbye world_.

I blew out a soft exhale of air, which prompted a loud, dark growl from the man above me. He grasped my neck again, more firmly this time, and shoved my skull harder against the ground below me. That's when everything disappeared.

That's when my eyelids fluttered closed, and I fluttered out of consciousness.

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**How was it? Good? Bad? Eye-gouging worthy? I was really nervous to post this, because I'm stepping out of my Twilight comfort zone with this one. I hope that I won't disappoint, but I won't know unless you review with your opinion. :D The entire story will be told in Bella's point of view. In my other two stories, I've always switched back and fourth between her and Edward, and at times, it gets frustrating, so this is new for me. Maybe when this is over, I'll write a companion in Edward's point of view, but until now, we see things through Bella's eyes. Anyway, I'll stop rambling. Reviews would satiate my nerves and make me extremely happy, so click that button and tell me how I'm doing so far!**


	2. 02 Terrifyingly Beautiful

_I struggled for breath, trashing wildly amongst the chains that constricted my wrists and ankles. The cool breeze of the chilly air touched my exposed skin, making me shiver in my skimpy, golden bikini. _

_I could hear the audience from inside of the over-sized red and white striped tent cheer loudly; their applause obnoxious and full of amusement. I groaned, pulling my wrists painfully but roughly against the cuff. I released a huff of air when the metal didn't falter, and in defeat, my shoulders slumped._

_A few stray tears leaked from my smoky eyes, falling down the crevice of my nose, landing on my lips. They tasted salty and sour; the heavily coated mascara mixing into the drops, effectively tinting them black._

_A man donning a zealous tuxedo outfit and pale skin exited the tent. He wore a grin, shining it at me as if this was a happy time. My scream of protest was muffled as he slapped his alabaster colored hand over my mouth. It lay still there for a second, before he moved it downward to grasp my chin, roughly yanking it to face him._

"_It's show time, sweet pea," he mumbled darkly into my ear, before darting his tongue out to run along the bone of my jaw. I squeaked loudly, slamming my head backwards. He merely laughed, and kissed my cheek dominantly, before grabbing the post that held my chains. He pushed, rolling me into the tent, where the applause increased tenfold. _

_My eyes widened as I stared at my surroundings. People of all ages; senior citizens, children, teenagers- they filled every seat in the stands that circled the stage. On the opposite side of the wooden stage, was a large steel cage. It held a young man who didn't look much older than myself. His facial features were defined, but young. White skin, cooper hair, and bright red eyes that haunted me from way across the tent. He was staring intently, licking his lips as his eyes moved hungrily up and down my body._

_The crowd began chanting. They were off-key, their voices clashing as they all yelled at the same time. The ringmaster was beside me, laughing loudly as he inhaled the joy of the audience. He held a long whip in one hand, and with a smack to the wood, he caught the attention of the room._

"_Are you ready for the main attraction?"_

_The crowd screamed in delight, their clapping growing louder with every second. He gave me one last grin, before crossing the tent to stand next to the cage. The boy in the cage was now standing up; gripping the bars as if he were desperate for an escape. His eyes were still focused intently on me. _

_Suddenly, the crowd's chant joined in unison. The voices, soprano and baritone, meshed together in harmony as they became more excited. The word got louder every time they said it._

"_Feed, feed, feed, feed!"_

_My eyes widened in horror as I watched the ringmaster take a key to the lock that held the boy. I screamed, not forming words as I watched the ringmaster open the cage. If possible, the audience became even louder with the excitement. And all I could do was continue screaming as the boy leapt across the stage with inhuman speed. He was in my face before I even had the chance to blink; before I even stopped screaming. One hand moved to grip the skin at my waist, and the other clamped over my lips to stop my shrieking. _

_He leaned in, as if he were about to kiss me, and whispered softly into my ear._

"_Wake up!" _

_I sucked in a breath, and pulled back, searching his crimson eyes for an explanation. His grin quickly turned into a scowl. "I said- wake up, you stupid bitch!"_

_His leg moved out, and slammed roughly against my calf. I winced in pain, and closed my eyes, bracing myself for death when he bared his teeth at me, and lunged._

"God damnit, wake the fuck up!"

I groaned. My head pounded against the hard surface beneath me, and the pain in my calf was real; searing as it was probably bruising this very second. I tried to open my eyes, but it felt as if my eyelids were stuck together.

"Well, well .. good morning, Sunshine," a female voice cooed brightly, but sarcastically from above me. When I was finally able to pry my eyes open, I glanced up, adjusting to the sudden brightness of the room.

After my blurred vision cleared, I got a good look at the source of the voice. She was skinny, but very pretty. She had bright blonde hair that was tied up into a neat ponytail at the top of her head, and wore bright pink rimmed glasses. I recognized her immediately as Cat Woman from the freak show.

_Uncle Aro's Freaks. The cannibal attacking me. _What the hell had happened?

"Aro said that I wasn't allowed to leave until you were awake and tended to, and I'm fucking starving, so will you get your ass up and follow me?" she snapped. I jumped back, startled by her rude demand, but scrambled to my feet regardless.

"What .." I began, before taking a deep breath to form a coherent sentence. "What happened? Where am I?"

She didn't answer for a few seconds, but I continued to follow her through a narrow hallway.

"Well if you're too stupid to not realize this yet, we're on a train," she pointed out, her thumb jutting towards a window. I followed her hand, and gasped when the window confirmed it; the scenery moving by quickly.

"Aro thought you had seen too much last night, and decided to bring you with us. Although, you're the crazy bitch that stepped into that tent when it was closed off anyway. I think you deserved what you got," she added, smirking as she threw her head back to glance at me. My jaw was dropped in horror, and I tried to wrap my head around this.

They had .. kidnapped me? After _I_ was attacked by one of _his_ displays- he kidnaps me?

"But my truck!" I started, the sudden need to beg for my life dawning upon me. "My father is the police chief in my hometown. He's expecting me! I'm supposed to return home!"

She didn't answer, her shoulders tensing as we continued to stalk through the quiet corridors of the moving train. We came to a divided door, with circular windows centering each side. She placed a now clawless hand on the door, before turning her head back to glance at me.

"Aro will want to speak with you," she spoke quietly, before pushing the door open for me. I opened my mouth to speak, but she grabbed my shoulder and roughly shoved me in.

"Oh, and for the record," she piped up before the doors had closed behind me. I stopped walking. "My family was expecting me as well."

That was all she left me with, before she grabbed the door and yanked it shut.

The room was large for a train. It held various cabinets and cupboards placed randomly among the walls. An obnoxiously large bed with red satin sheets dominated the space on the other side of the room.

"Ah, you're up!" a deep, masculine voice chirped happily from behind me. I whipped around, only to face the man from yesterday, and the ringmaster in my nightmare; Aro. "I was beginning to think that Edward had knocked you out permanently."

_Edward?_

"Who is-" I began. "You know, that doesn't even matter. Where the hell are we going? Why are you bringing me with you?"

I was trying my best to sound angry and threatening, but I knew I was coming across as a frightened little kitten. Which would be extremely understandable, considering I was scared shitless at the moment.

He smiled, and I shivered; remembering the evil grin he wore in my nightmare. He tipped his fingers forward, before stepping around me to sit on one of the brightly colored couches. I stood awkwardly for a moment, not sure if I should accept his invitation.

Eh, if I was going to die, why not have a comfortable butt?

I sat on one of the loveseats across from him, raising my feet to sit Indian style; not trusting what could possibly be living on the floor. He chuckled, and I avoided looking at him.

"First, I need to say that it was extremely disrespectful and wrong of you to enter a tent that is clearly taped off," he chastised. I gulped, and nodded. "Obviously, you saw _why_ it was taped off."

"Is that why you took me? As some form of cruel punishment? I'm sorry, okay? I thought it was a joke, I didn't-"

He laughed.

"Hush, child. No, this is not a punishment, even if you may think it is," he noted, adding the last part grimly. "I'm afraid I cannot release you. You know too much. You're a threat to the show."

I closed my eyes. My entire body was trembling in fear.

"So, what are you going to do to me?" I muttered, but my voice was high-pitched, coming out as a terrified squeak. I didn't open my eyes as he hummed amusedly.

"You'll travel with us and enjoy the ride. After awhile, you won't even want to leave, I promise! We may look scary, but we're all friends here!"

I shook my head frantically. I felt the tears quickly building under my closed eyelids, trying to push their way out. "Please, just let go home. I won't tell anybody. I swear on my life that I won't."

He made a soft _tsk_ noise.

"I'm sorry, sweet pea. That's out of the question," he finalized. I slapped my hand over my mouth to muffle my sobs. I'd never see my family ever again. I'd never see my friends, though I didn't have very many, ever again. My own curiosity had effectively ended my life.

"Awe, it's not so bad. You'll love it here."

"No, I'm terrified. I just want to go home and be with my Dad. _Please_, just let me go home," I sobbed miserably, bringing my knees to my chest. He was silent, and I grew optimistic. I snapped my eyes open, hoping that he'd be wearing a sympathetic face.

Instead, he was standing across the room, holding the door open.

"Come, child," he directed. I pulled the sleeve of my jacket down, and wiped my blurry eyes, before walking slowly and hesitantly to his side. He indeed wore a sympathetic face, but I knew the sympathy was for an entirely different reason.

"You must be famished. Down the hall, through the big blue door, is the kitchen. They'll whip you something up," he said, before gripping my shoulder to push me out, much like the _Cat Woman_ had done before. "Oh, but Isabella?"

I swallowed my fear. How had he discovered my name?

"Every window and exit off of the train are securely locked. I wouldn't even waste any energy trying to escape. Just a little friendly tip," he joyously announced, before patting my head affectionately, and turning back into the room. He closed the door behind him, leaving me alone in the small corridor.

I didn't want to stick around in case he came back out. I quickly began to walk down the hall, my wandering eyes studying everything that I passed- which wasn't much. I had only seen about three doors, all of which were dark gray, and locked.

When I reached the big blue door as Aro had described, I inhaled a sharp breath, before pushing it open. The strong, but mouth-watering aroma of chicken filled my nostrils. My stomach rumbled angrily, and I didn't realize how hungry I was until I saw booths full of people eating. Their bowls, of what looked to be soup, steaming.

"Chicken noodle soup?" I heard a nearby voice ask. I glanced up to see an elderly woman grinning at me, clasping a dripping ladle in her right hand.

"Only if the _chicken_ isn't really human meat," I mumbled, and she howled with laughter, as if I told a joke. She grabbed a large bowl, and dumped several scoopfuls into it. I was practically salivating as she stuck a plastic fork into it, and handed it to me.

"Enjoy, sweet pea," she happily declared, waggling her wrinkled fingers before turning around to stir whatever was in the large, steaming pan behind her.

I glanced around at the booths. Only a few were occupied; groups of fours crammed into the small spaces, laughing merrily as they ate.

Were they taken like I was? How were they so happy? So many questions went through my head, and I knew I had became dizzy when I began to wobble on my feet.

I shuffled over to an empty booth that was shoved against the wall, closest to the door. I pulled the hood up over my head, wanting to hide my face, before I grabbed the fork. I peered down at the delicious scented soup that sat in front of me. My hand shook as I dropped the fork into the bowl, pinning a few noodles and carrots. I brought it to my lips.

"Please don't be poisoned," I whispered to myself. I opened my eyes to see if anybody was watching me, and when I saw that they weren't, I popped the fork into my mouth. I found a napkin and raised it to my mouth, prepared to spit and choke if I needed to, but I didn't. The soup was magnificent, which was odd for freak show food, but needless to say, I ate every drop.

When I stood to leave, the elderly woman raised her ladle above her head. I watched as several drops of liquid fell on her hairnet, but she remained unaffected.

"Have a good day, sweet pea!" she announced, causing the small number of people to look my way. My cheeks flushed, and I gave her a small wave before I turned to exit. I pushed the door open, and looked around the still empty corridor, before turning in a new direction.

I moved quickly. Something about these halls, so dark and dreary and deserted, frightened me. _Everything_ about this situation frightened me, but I didn't need an obvious factor staring me in the face. I moved until I reached a big door, similar to kitchen's. But instead of a the dark blue, it was crimson colored. I pressed my ear to it, and when I heard silence, I took that as the green light and entered.

It was a large room, smaller than Aro's, but still quite spacious. There was no bed, but a large L shaped couch took it's place. A Pepsi-cola vending machine was lit up on one side of the walls, and across was a baby grand piano.

Feeling weak and defeated, my knees began to teeter painfully. The full force of realization hit down on me, and I couldn't help the loud sob that gurgled from my throat. I moved from the door, to the nearest wall, and slid down to the floor. Gathering my legs to my chest, I pressed my face against the dirty jeans that covered my knees.

My breaths were short and choppy, the tears producing with every blink. I just _cried_. I cried for the family and friends that I would never see again. I cried for the poor person that had been in that cage last night. And I cried for myself- because it was the only thing that I could do at the moment.

My throat rumbled, eliciting a deep sound that I didn't know I was capable of making. It wasn't until the sun poured through the large circular window next to me, illuminating the other side of the room, that I realized I hadn't been the one to make it.

I gasped. I sniffled, and raised my hand to wipe my disgustingly drippy nose on my sleeve. I could see somebody curled into the corner across the room, much like I was. It was a guy, for his shoulders were too narrow to belong to a girl. Unless he was a half male/half female freak for the show, but I highly doubted it.

"Hello?" I croaked weakly, squinting through my blurred vision to study his shaking figure. His knees were curled to his chest, just as mine were. His arms were raised, gripping either side of his head as he rocked himself back and fourth.

I wonder if he had been taken last night as well.

Sniffling one last time, I shakily stood on uncertain legs. I took short, hesitant steps toward him. If he noticed my presence, he didn't show it. His body remained shaking, knees still at the chest. His hands, however, had moved to the ground, gripping into fists to squeeze at the air. He was tense; very, very tense.

The sunlight in the room increased suddenly, moving to hover over us more. It was only then that I saw the color of his hair. His bright, penny colored hair. I snapped my eyes shut, and the wheels inside of my head clicked. _It's him._

I gasped in horror. His head snapped up, his eyes red and glaring as they pierced into mine. His upper lip encased in a snarl, and he opened his mouth to speak. But I didn't stick around to hear what he was going to say.

I was whimpering loudly as I scrambled across the room. The door was in my reach; all I had to do was push it open, and somebody would surely hear me screaming. But would anybody care enough to help me?

I stumbled, because apparently, whatever higher being that was up there found it funny to allow clumsiness while I was running for my life. I tried to keep myself balanced, but in my frantic state, I was too uncoordinated and unlucky to not fall.

And I fell hard.

My shoulder slammed against the wood floors, and I involuntarily cried out in pain. My good hand slid around to cradle my upper-arm, and I rolled around to push myself back up off of the ground.

I could hear his loud footsteps, before his bare feet came into my eyesight. I slammed my eyes shut, trying to slide across the wood to reach the large door. He followed, moving alongside me slowly, until I was backed into a corner, too far away from the door.

"Please," I gurgled through my terrified tears. A wave of déjà vu washed over me, as I found myself in the exact same position as last night.

But this was different. He wasn't attacking me this time.

The silence was deafening. I couldn't hear anything except for his sharp exhales of breaths, and the occasional rumbling of his throat, almost as if he were growling. I didn't dare open my eyes. I was too afraid to see him hovering over me, wearing the same malicious smile as last night.

"Get up," he ordered in a low voice. My breathing faltered for a second, but I didn't move. "You're applying too much weight to your injured shoulder. _Get up_."

Slowly, my eyelids flickered open. It took a few delayed seconds for my eyes to adjust, but when they did, what I saw took my breath away.

He standing a few feet away from where I was cowering. His previous semi-clothed body was now covered in a thin, white v-neck t-shirt with a long pair of basketball shorts. His hair was still messy, but the grease that had caked his copper locks had disappeared. I squinted; the sun glaring in through the window and obstructing my vision. From this angle, I couldn't see his eyes, and I think that's the only thing that kept me so brave.

He was beautiful. What I saw in the cage last night was nothing compared to now. As he stood before me, shoulders squared, body stiff and arms hanging limp at his side, I imagined myself studying a sculpture, because that's what he could've been.

"Did you not hear me?" he spat, and I winced a the harshness in his voice. He sounded cold; angry and hesitant. I opened my mouth to speak, but after a series of embarrassing gurgles and sputtering sounds, I closed it.

But I obeyed his order. With my free hand, I pushed myself up off of my throbbing shoulder. I winced, hissing lowly in pain as the exposed shoulder lost contact with the wall. I looked up at him again, avoiding his face in case the sun moved and his eyes were exposed.

"Wh-what are you-"

"I can't believe Aro was foolish enough to let you come in here. After what happened last night. Do you have a death wish, you stupid girl?"

I shivered in fear. Apparently.

"I-I didn't know that this was your room. I'm sorry," I mumbled, stumbling over my words. My frantic fear had dulled, because it was obvious that he wasn't going to hurt me now. Yet, I couldn't help but feel tense and nervous, as if something big was about to happen.

"First, the tent. And now this. You have an uncanny way of finding me," he muttered sarcastically. I sniffled up a batch of tears that were still trying to dry themselves. He snorted.

"Are you _still_ _crying_?" he asked incredulously. I could hear the disbelief and antagonism in his tone, and despite the fact that he'd probably disfigure me and eat my face off, I opened my mouth angrily.

"_Excuse _me," I spat bitterly. "My truck breaks down in the middle of nowhere. I walk for almost an hour, to come to find that the only establishment containing something close to civilization was a god damned _freak show_. And then, after innocently ducking into your tent, I get attacked. By _you_," I could see him moving closer, but my boldness didn't falter.

"You licked the fucking blood off of my stomach wound. You knocked me unconscious. And then, when I come to, I'm on this fucking train! And I've only just found out that my life is _over_. I'll never see my family again, I'll never see my friends again. And it's all your fucking fault! So excuse me if you're bothered by my tears, but I think it's a little fucking understandable for me to be _crying_ right now!"

I was heaving heavily when I finished; gasping for breath because my rant had taken a lot out of me. My tongue burned of obscenities, and I wanted to scold myself because I never cussed that much. But I was so angry. So frustrated, and sick to my stomach, and worried, and I couldn't take it anymore.

I closed my eyes, hoping that when he killed me for lashing out at him, he'd do it quickly so I'd feel no pain.

"I'd rather you didn't blame me for your own stupidity. Thanks," he commented dryly. Like before, I gathered my knees to my chest, resting the side of my cheek against the tops of them.

"How is this my fault?" I asked weakly, biting down on my quivering bottom lip to stop the tears before they came. I heard his footsteps move closer to me, but I didn't crane my neck to look up at him.

"You went inside the tent was it blocked off. If you had been abiding by the rules, this wouldn't have happened. I was hungry, and you were in the wrong place at the wrong time."

He was so calm, so chill about this entire thing. How was he being so nonchalant about the fact that he was _eating_ somebody in that cage last night?

I inhaled sharply, blinking quickly with a newly blurred vision once again.

"Why would Aro keep something like you around? You're terrifying," I whispered, my eyes trained on the piano that sat across the room. He was silent, but I heard him sigh heavily.

"I ask myself that question everyday."

Curious, I raised my head to look at him. I squealed when I noticed that he was standing right in front of me, his chest dramatically falling up and down with every silent inhale that he took. I pushed myself even closer against the wall.

"You're frightened of me," he observed quietly. I wanted to roll my eyes, scream duh and recite the long list of sarcastic replies that I had at the tip of my tongue, but I couldn't. I watched him. He was beautiful and graceful as he moved around me, circling like a satellite to study me more carefully.

Closing my eyes again, I gently nodded.

I could feel the sun dancing against my eyelids, and I opened them once more. Once again, the breath left my body as I looked at him. His pale skin, once dead and lifeless, sparkled under the glow of the sunlight. It was as if diamonds were encrusted under his skin, shifting beautifully as they twinkled.

I gulped.

How could something so terrifying, be so beautiful?

I watched as he extended his arm, slowly and hesitantly reaching out towards me. His fingers moved to trace the shape of my bangs. Before he could get close enough to touch, I flinch and stiffened, shaking my head.

"Please, don't touch me," I whispered, my entire body moving with tremors. He gulped, and his nostrils flared, almost angrily before he snapped his hand backwards. I closed my eyes, hoping that when I opened them, I'd be asleep safely in the cab of my truck.

But when I opened my eyes, yet again, I was still cowered in the corner of the room.

And the beautiful, terrifying boy was gone.

* * *

**Ah, so they meet again. At first, I had written out a few pages where their first meeting after the incident was friendly and nice. But after thinking about it, would you be cozy with somebody who had tried to eat you? Despite the fact that 's version of Bella probably _would_, I'm writing with my own tweaked version of Bella. Which is what AU means. **

**Thank you to the few of you that reviewed! It certainly means a lot to me. I'm dedicating a lot more time and effort into this one, as opposed to my other two stories, so the feedback is greatly appreciated. **

**Anyway, I think that's it for now. I'm already plotting ideas for the next chapter, so hopefully that'll be up sometime within the next week or week and a half. I won't promise anything though, because my writing mojo just comes and goes as it pleases. But I'll wrap this up. Please, please, please review! I thrive off of your input, so let me know how I'm doing! :D  
**


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